Archetype
Description
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A reinforcing loop is naturally a growth-seeking system. As A increases it causes
B to increase. The increase in B in turn causes A to increases even further, which
in turn (over time) causes B to ..... and so on. This same structure can also
become vicious and work the other way. As A decreases, it causes B to decline
and as B decreases it in turn causes A to decline even further (refer to
Mother-in-law and Daughter-in-law story).
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Behaviour over
time
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The behaviour that results from a reinforcing
loop is either accelerating growth or decline. At
first nothing seems to be happening. After
considerable delay, all of a sudden it grows (or
declines) quickly taking people by surprise.
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Commonly
used words or
early warning
symptoms
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Virtuous Cycles
Viscious Cycles
"Snowball effect"
"Bandwagon effect"
"The rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer"
"The rats are jumping ship"
In business we know "momentum is everything"
Positive word of mouth produced rapidly rising sales of Volkswagen during the
1950s and videocassette recorders during the 1980s
Word of mouth can easily work in reverse, and (as occurred with contaminated
over-the-counter drugs) produce marketplace disaster
By the time the problem is noticed, it may be too late. Extinctions of species
often follow patterns of slow, gradually accelerating decline over long time
periods, then rapid demise. So do extinctions of corporations.
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Example(s)
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“Mother-in-law (MIL) and daughter-in-law” (DIL) story: The "Healing Poison"
MIL and DIL do not get along and DIL decides to “finish off” her MIL. DIL seeks
help from an uncle who prescribes a slow acting poison that will take effect in 6
months, instructs DIL to serve it in hot milk to MIL every night with a smile. MIL
takes to the 'hot milk with smile' treatment from DIL, starts cooking hot diners
that are served upon DIL's arrival home from work. MIL and DIL relationship
improves to incorporate shopping and mahjong outings. After 5 months, DIL
suddenly realises she does not want MIL to die. Uncle informs her the 'poison'
was vitamin C and it was the change in behaviour from DIL (smile) that revered
the vicious cycle and in its place we now have a virtuous one.
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Tips to note
when using
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What is the
thinking?
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“It feels like it is growing (for better or for worse)”
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Managing the
intervention
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You can detect this kind of loop at work simply by sensing exponential growth or
collapse (such as rapid spread of an exciting new idea, or a company that
suddenly goes out of business)
Intervention in the case of vicious cycle:
Reverse the behaviour of the variable (at any one end of the loop – it does not
matter which end).
Do not cut the loop
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